In this article we will talk about one of the most famous works of Viktor Petrovich Astafiev, in particular, consider its summary. "Belogrudka" is a short story dedicated to nature and animals, which is included in the modern school curriculum.
About the work
The story was written in 1961, when the writer was studying literature in Moscow. The author, himself a native of a Siberian village, knew and loved Russian nature from childhood. It is not surprising that this is reflected in his work. The writer's knowledge of the habits of animals and the peculiarities of their behavior can illustrate even a brief summary. "Belogrudka" is a vivid example of this. In addition, the work is autobiographical - Astafiev described a case that he himself witnessed in childhood.
Despite its brevity, the story has a pronounced didactic focus and raises quite serious questions related to the relationship of man to nature.
Astafiev, "Belogrudka": a summary
On the mountain there is a large village of Vereino, and under the mountain there are 2 lakes, on the banks of which the small village of Zuyaty huddles.
Between Vereino and Zuyatami there is a large slope, similar to a humpbacked island, which can be seen for many miles. None of the locals go there almost, because it is overgrown with thick grass so that you can’t stick your head in. As soon as you move a little away from the clover field on the mountain, you will immediately slide down and find yourself in a fallen tree overgrown with raspberries, elderberries and moss.
As it is not difficult to see, a brief summary begins with a description of the area. "Belogrudka" is replete with colorful descriptions of Siberian nature, despite the small size of the story.
The hillside was a gloomy place, twilight and damp. Fir and spruce trees reliably kept their inhabitants - squirrels, birds, ermines, badgers - from human hands. Even cautious and cunning capercaillie lived here.
But once a white-breasted marten, a very secretive animal by nature, decided to settle in the wilds of the slope. Sometimes she was seen at the edge of the forest, but, only sensing a person, she again ran away into the thicket. So she lived for 3 years.
Kunyata
Great knowledge of the habits and characteristics of animals in his descriptions is shown by V.P. Astafiev (“Belogrudka”). The summary tells about how, in one summer, very tiny cubs appeared at the marten. White-breasted took care of them, licked them, warmed them on cold nights, and when they grew up a little, she began to get food for them too. The marten studied the hillside well, so she brought a lot of prey, and the children always had plenty of food.
Once the village boys tracked down Belogrudka. They followed her down the slope and hid. The marten, confusing her tracks, walked through the forest for a long time, jumping from tree to tree, and then decided that people had left, because they often passed by. Then Belogrudka returned to her nest.
But the boys did not go anywhere and kept a close eye on her. The marten did not sense their presence - she was all absorbed in caring for the children. After checking that everything was in order with them, she again went hunting. However, every day it became more and more difficult to get food. There were no small animals left near the nest, so Belogrudka went to the forest, then to the swamps, the lake. Here she was lucky to stumble upon a jay. Joyful, she ran back to the nest with prey.
Ruined Nest
Quite a lot of lyrical and tragic moments in the story "Belogrudka". The summary, for example, describes the return of the marten to the nest, which turned out to be empty. The white-breasted duck immediately dropped its prey and began to rush around the fir-tree, in the paws of which its nest was cunningly hidden. But the coons were nowhere to be found. The author describes the tragedy experienced by the mother in this way: “If she knew how to scream, she would scream.” Her bitches are gone.
Then Belogrudka decided to explore everything around. There were also human footprints. People were trampling around the tree, and one of them climbed on it, tearing off the bark and branches. In the evening, the marten already knew that her marten had been taken to the village. And at night she found which house.
Until dawn, Belogrudka rushed around the house, sat on the bird cherry tree, listening - suddenly the coonets would squeak. But the dog in the yard rattled the chain and barked loudly. The owner tried several times to calm her down, but to no avail.
From that moment on, a marten came into the yard every night. And every night the dog barked and rattled the chain.
Revenge
The summary of the story "Belogrudka" shows how deep feelings animals can experience. Once the marten managed to get into the hayloft, where she stayed until morning and decided to stay for the day. And this time she managed to see the kunyat. The master's boy carried the kids out onto the porch in an old hat. Here he began to play with them, turn them on their backs, click on the nose. Here come the other boys. Kunyat began to feed meat.
The owner came and said, pointing at the kids, that there was no point in torturing the animals, it was better to return them back to the nest, otherwise they would completely disappear.
But then came a terrible day for Belogrudka. This time she managed to sneak through and hide again. The boy again carried her kunya on the porch. But, looking into the cap, he found out that one of them had died. Then he took the dead cub and threw it to the dog. The yard dog, accustomed to eating everything that was given to him, sniffed the small body and began to "devour it from the head."
On the same night, a huge number of hens and chickens were strangled throughout the village. And the old dog, who ate the cunny, strangled himself, hanging on the chain, when he tried to jump over the fence. Goslings and ducklings began to be found on the streets and in gardens. In the houses that were close to the forest, the bird was completely gone.
For a long time in the village they could not understand what was the matter, but Belogrudka began to go hunting even during the day, and they noticed her.
Coon death
We continue to retell the summary. Belogrudka once again appeared in the village in the afternoon. This time they were already waiting for her, and they knocked her down from the tree with shot. But the marten survived - only a few pellets hit it. After licking her wounds, she returned to the village again.
The marten did not know that during this time the boy who took her martens was flogged and forced to carry the cubs back. But the lazy boy left the kids near the forest. Here a fox stumbled upon them and ate them.
Belogrudka continued to crush birds now not only in Vereino, but also in neighboring Zuyats.
But then the marten climbed into the cellar, and there the mistress of the house managed to catch her.
denouement
The marten was placed in a box. The owner of the house, the hunter, has returned. He said that his wife caught the marten in vain, because people were the first to offend her, and released the beast. But Belogrudka did not let up and continued to harass the bird. Then the hunter had to track her down and kill her.
Belogrudka was remembered for a long time in both villages. To this day, children are forbidden to touch other people's nests and destroy them.
So the story "Belogrudka" came to an end. A summary for the reader's diary can be supplemented with quotes from the work.
